‘Mystery Science Theater 3000’ Returning For New Quarantine Special

Mystery Science Theater 3000was in the midst of a farewell tour for series creator and original host Joel Hodgson when the coronavirus pandemic forced the cancelation of live events all across the country. (I saw the tour during its stop in Brooklyn last September; it was hilarious.) With plenty of time on their hands, the MST3K touring company decided to bring their act to the masses online — with what they’re calling the first-ever “Mystery Science Theater 3000 Live Riff-Along.”

The Mystery Science Theater 3000 Live Riff-Along, a special streaming event [takes] place May 3 at 6 p.m. ET. Coupled with a new short, Circus Day, the centerpiece is a screening of the vintage MST3K episode Moon Zero Two, which will find the show’s touring cast riffing between the jokes their first-season counterparts first made in 1990.

The current MST3K cast includes Emily Marsh, Conor McGiffin, and Nate Begle, playing Emily Crenshaw, Tom Servo, and Crow T. Robot respectively. (Joel will supposedly be on the show as well “to field questions and comments submitted to YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook.”) All in all, it should be a fun diversion for a couple hours. You can watch the special on MST3K’s Twitch and YouTube channels — the Twitch one is really good for MST3K fans, because it streams classic episodes 24/7.